Wartburg College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Wartburg College charges a net price of $32,908/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $131,632. Graduates earn a median $56,201 ten years after entry, $7,841/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 16.8 years — a 20-year net return of $25,188, a slow but positive payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Wartburg College's 16.8-year payback ranks #1,006 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 21% of them, and #17 of 47 in Iowa.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $32,908/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $131,632 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $56,201 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $7,841/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 16.8 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $25,188 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Wartburg College's own numbers. Net price $32,908 × 4 years = $131,632 total. Median earnings $56,201 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $7,841 a year of premium. $131,632 ÷ $7,841 = 16.8 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $25,188. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Wartburg College students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 48% of the $56,201 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Wartburg College students graduate?
64% finish their degree — 36% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $131,632 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $205,675 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Wartburg College expensive compared with other Iowa colleges?
Its $32,908 net price runs $14,319 above the $18,589 median across the 47 Iowa colleges we profile, or $57,276 more across the full degree.